The beginning of 8-th century was decisive for the Armenian Church and its theological system. Byzantine Empire, which, 200 years after the Council of Chalcedon was fluctuating between rejection and acception of Chalcedon Council, at the end of 7-th century took a decision to favor Chalcedon Council. The policy of the Byzantine Empire did not stop on Christological disputs but took a form of forceful conversion of non-Chalcedonian Churches into Chalcedonian theology. In these circumstances Catholicos St. Hovhan Odznetsi has to react properly, and substantiate clearly the reasons why Chalcedonian Christology was not acceptable for the Armenian and Syriac Chruches, a task that he solved brilliantly. That is why the Manazkert Council (726) was summoned where Armenian and Syriac bishops together formulated 10 clauses, which clearly stated the Chistological position of the two Churches. One of the leading thelogians, after the Catholicos was Khosrovik Targmanich (the Interpreter). His five epistles, composing the contents of this book, were written most probably after the Manazkert Council and are addressed to different people. The first is addressed to a Chalcedonian bishop, probably in a territory under Byzantine influence. Here Khosrovik shows different understandings of basic theologicial terms wherefore differences in Christological understanding follows. This is the main work in this collection and the author reminds the basic definitions of such terms as "hypostasis", "persona", "nature" etc., taken both from pre-Chalcedonian fathers of the Church and philosophers. The other epistles are addressed to Syriac and Armenian bishops, explaining the attitude of Manazkert Council towards sufferableness vs insufferableness of Christ's body, or mortality vs immortality of Christ's body, which was the ground for division in Syriac Church between followers of Julian and Severius.

If you know the book but cannot find it on AbeBooks, we can automatically search for it on your behalf as new inventory is added. If it is added to AbeBooks by one of our member booksellers, we will notify you!